The spiritual discipline of slowing is the intentional practice of reducing the speed of your life to better notice God’s presence and hear his voice. In our high-speed world, we often believe that faster is better, but the Bible suggests that spiritual depth requires a different pace. It’s about more than just managing your time; it’s about “un-hurrying” your soul. By deliberately choosing to move slower, we fight the “hurry sickness” that keeps us from loving God and others well.
Why Speed Is the Enemy of Spiritual Life
We live in a culture that treats busyness like a badge of honor. We’re constantly rushing from one meeting to the next, scrolling through feeds at lightning speed, and checking our watches during prayer. The problem is that love, joy, and peace—the fruits of the Spirit—don’t grow in a rush. You can’t “hurry” a deep conversation with a spouse, and you certainly can’t hurry your relationship with Jesus.
Dallas Willard, a well-known Christian philosopher, once famously said that “hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” When we’re hurried, we become irritable, anxious, and self-centered. We lose our ability to be present in the moment. Slowing down is the “rehab” for this addiction to speed. It’s a way of making room for the Holy Spirit to work in the quiet, un-rushed corners of our hearts.
Jesus: The Master of the Slow Pace
If anyone had a reason to be in a hurry, it was Jesus. He only had three years of public ministry to save the world! Yet, when we read the Gospels, we never see Jesus rushing. He had time to stop for a blind beggar on the side of the road. He had time to sit by a well and talk to a lonely woman. He often withdrew to “quiet places” to pray, even when there were huge crowds waiting for him to perform miracles.
Mark 1:35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.
Jesus understood that his power came from his connection to the Father, and that connection required a certain pace. By practicing slowing, we’re trying to mirror the pace of Jesus. We’re acknowledging that our mission isn’t more important than our connection to the Mission-Giver. When we slow down, we find that we’re actually more effective because we’re operating out of God’s strength rather than our own frantic energy.
Practical Ways to Practice Slowing
Slowing isn’t just a “feeling”; it’s a series of practical choices. It’s about doing things that force you to wait and resist the urge to optimize every second. Some people practice this by choosing the longest line at the grocery store or driving in the slow lane on the highway. Others do it by leaving their phones in another room for an hour or eating a meal without any distractions like TV or podcasts.
These small acts are like “weightlifting” for your soul. They train you to be okay with not being “productive” for a few minutes. Another powerful way to slow down is through “lectio divina”—a slow, meditative way of reading Scripture where you focus on just one or two verses for a long time. Instead of rushing to finish a chapter, you linger over a single phrase, asking God what he wants to say to you through it.
The Goal Is Presence, Not Just Laziness
It’s important to distinguish between “slowing” and “laziness.” A lazy person avoids work because they lack purpose; a person practicing slowing avoids hurry because they have a high purpose. The goal of slowing is to be fully present—present to God, present to yourself, and present to the people around you. It’s about creating a “margin” in your life so that when a neighbor needs help or a friend needs to talk, you aren’t too busy to notice.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored among every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.
When we are still and slow, we gain a perspective that the “hustle” can never give us. We start to see that God is already at work all around us, and we don’t have to push and shove to make things happen. Slowing allows us to move from a life of “doing” for God into a life of “being” with God. This shift is where true spiritual breakthrough and lasting peace are found.
The Takeaway
The spiritual discipline of slowing is a vital practice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the pace of modern life. It is an intentional choice to reject hurry in favor of a lifestyle modeled after Jesus. By slowing down, we cultivate the space necessary to hear God’s voice and love people deeply. Ultimately, slowing isn’t about getting less done; it’s about making sure the things we do are done with a heart that is fully connected to the Creator.
